Material separation device



.Fan. 13, 142. F. A. DROMGOLD 1,

v MATERIAL SEPARATION DEVICE Filed Feb. 3, 1939 I 5 a Z face of the agitator-and I Patented Jan. 13, 1942 MATERIAL SEPARATION DEVICE Frank A. Dromgold, Brisbane, Calif. I Application February 3, 1939, Serial No. 254,493

4 Claims. (Cl.

This invention relates to material separation devices and more'particularly to a device adapted for separation of various types ofmaterial, such as metals or the like by the flotation process.

An object of this inventionis to provide an improved apparatus and process for separation of metals which are finely ground or comminuted to which water or a liquid is added to form a pulp, and which are discharged into a cell or chamber where chemicals or other re-agents are added and wherein the material is agitated and aerated in order to forma froth on the top or surface of the pulp or liquid, which froth is I adapted to carry off the desired materials.

Another object of this invention is toprovide in a flotation device of this kind an improved agitating means and aeration meansso as to permit the use of also permit the rotation of the agitating means at a higher speed and less power.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a combined agitating and. aeration means from packing in the bottom of the cell by contact with the agitator as the material is entering the flotation cell.

A further object of this invention is to pro-. vide an improved agitating means for a flotation separator cell wherein the agitator is so constructed that the pulp is prevented from clogging up the air outlet forming part of the agitator so that the air discharged through the agitator will be discharged in the form of air bubbles in order to assist in the separation of thecdesired material.

To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrange ments of parts as will be more specifically referred a smaller agitating means and whereby the re-agent will be drawn into the' cell and the material by the suction formed upon rotation of the agitating means.

A further object of this in a flotation separator means within the separator for recirculating the material in the cell, the material being continuously returned to the spreader which forms a part of the agitator;

A still further object. of this invention is to provide an agitating means. of this kind which is so constructed that it can be operated through the medium of a relatively small power motor or other source ofpower-supply and at thesame time agitate the material to the desired degree in order to form the froth on top of the liquid for the purpose of carrying off bylthe flotation process the desiredmetals or other material. I

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved agitating and aeration means which can be readily mounted in the present construcpre sent agitating and aeration means.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved process of removing metals or other material from ore.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved process wherein the incoming material is discharged directly upon the upper surthen thrown outwardly by centrifugal force so that the incoming material will not only 'be agitated by means of the agitating blades forming a part of the agitating device, but will also be agitated and prevented invention is to provideto and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein are shown embodiments of-the in-' vention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resortedto within the scope of the invention as claimed.

@In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken transversely through one cell of a flotation device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 1s a sectional view taken on the line 2-! of Figure 1.

-Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 designates generally one cell forming part of a flotation separator which includes a bottom wall 2|, upstanding side walls 22 and end Walls 23. One of the end walls 23 separates the cell 20 from a second or adjacent cell which is similar to the cell 20 and this wall 23 which is an inner wall is provided adjacent the lower end thereof with an opening 24 permitting communication between the cell 20 and the next or adjacent cell in order that the pulp may flow. from one cell to the other. The sidewalls are provided adtion of flotation apparatus as a substitute for the 2 'jacent openings 2,gthe height of which is controlled or regulated by means which are slidably mounted in guide members 21.-

the upper portion thereof with outlet of slats forming weirs 26 The cell 20 is adapted to have a fluid or pulp therein which has a level indicated by the dotted line 28. The agitation of the -material in the,

cell 20 will form what is termed a froth on top of the fluid or pulp and this froth rises to the height shown by the dot anddash line 29. Theheight of the froth is controlled by means of the slats or weirs 26 and the froth then overflows the weirs 26 and discharges over ashield or plate 30 into a receptacle or launderer 3|. At the present time, it is the practice to discharge the incoming pulp or comminuted material into one side of agitator rotating at the desired rate of speed to,

thoroughly agitate the materials In order to provide an improved agitating means whereby the power necessary to agitate the material may be reduced and at the same time the agitator may be rotated at a relatively high speed, I have provided a shaft 32 which is journalled in anti-friction bearings 33 carried by hearing housings 34 supported by a bracket 35 fixed to the bottom 2| of the cell 20. The shaft 32 in the present instance is preferably hollow and the lower end of the shaft 32 has a pulley or driven member 33 fixed thereto. A driving member 31 is secured to the shaft 38 of a motor or other suitable power means 38 and the drive member 31 is connected to the driven pulley" by a belt or flexible drive means 30. The bottom 2| of the cell 20 is provided with a gland or bearing member 3| through which the shaft 32 projects. A combined agitating and aerating means generally designated as 42 is fixed to the inner or upper end of the hollow shaft 32 and comprises a hub 33 which is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 32 and a plurality of radially arranged agitating blades 44 are fixed to the upper or inner side of the hub 43. The agitating blades 44 have their inner edges 45 positioned in spaced relation one to another and preferably the inner edges or ends I! of the blades 34 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the hollow shaft 32. A disc- 33 is fixed to the upper or inner edges of the blades and preferably the blades 44 are provided with auxiliary blades or extensions 41 which project outwardly beyond the outer edges of the blades 44 and are relatively narrow in construction being disposed immediately below the lower surface of the plate 48 and terminating at their outer ends at the outer end or marginal edge of the disc 43. The blades 34 are also provided at their upper inner comers with cut-out portions 48 forming an air chamber laterally of the axis of the shaft 32.

A nozzle 33 is disposed within a hollow shaft 32 and is connected to a pipe I. which is connected to a source of re-agent supply so that the re-agent will be discharged upwardly in the hollow shaft 32. A valve member ll carried by a valve head 52 which is threaded onto the pipe II is adjustable relative to the lower end of the shaft 32 in order to control the quantity of air entering the lower end ofthe shaft 32. In the present instance, the head-I2 is threaded on the pipe ll andmay be locked in adiusted position by a set screw 53.

A butterfly valve 53 is mounted on a shaft II extending diametrically across the hollow shaft 32 and a weight 53 is dependently secured to the shaft 88 and gravitatingly swings the butterfly valve 54 to a closed position. Inthe present instancefthe power member 33 is secured to an extension or supporting arm I! which may be formed as part of the bracket 3! so that the bearings 34 and the power member 33 may be mounted as a unit below the cell 20.

A feed pipe 58 is dependently supported in the cell 20 in a position with the lower or discharge surface of the plate 48 and positioned with the axis of the discharge member 83 co-planar with the axis of the drive shaft 32. A pair of inwardly convergent baflle members 59 are secured to the end walls 23 of the cell 20 at a point adjacent the upper portion thereof so that as the material .in thecell 20 moves upwardly, this material will move laterally to each side or in the direction of the two weirs 26. The cell 23 may also be provided with a plurality of vertically disposed bames or partitions 60 which are positioned at a point above the bottom 2| and below the upper end of the cell- 20. A nozzle II is positioned the incoming material and in certain other instances it is found desirable to discharge substantially all of the re-agent into the incoming material, while in still other instances, it is found desirable to eliminate the discharge of a reagent into the feed pipe II for mixture with the incoming materials.

In the use and operation of this device, the ground material or pulp is discharged into the feed pipe is shown in Figure 1 and co-incident with the discharge of the ground material or pulp, the agitating member I2 is set in operation. when the agitating member 42 is set in rotation by the power member 33, the blades 34 will agitate and aerate the pulp or liquid. The valve member 54 in the shaft 32 will gradually open upon rotation of the shaft 32 so that when the,

1 t though where a spray is used, the re-agent may be placed under a suitable pressure, thus spraying the re-agent in an upward direction in the shaft 32. The upwardly moving air will draw the re-agent into the cell 23 where the re-agent is thorough y mixed with the material in the cell 2! and is also thoroughly mixed with the material moving downwardly through the feed pipe 33. The material from the feed pipe ll is dropped onto the rotating plate 33 which will centrifugelly throw the material laterally and at the same time the inwardly, outwardly and upwardly movingairwillmixwiththematerial andwillelso carrysomeofthegroundmaterialupwardlyin the cell 23. The rotation of the agitating mem- 'berl2willcauseafrothor-foamtooccurabove the liquid or pulp level. 23 and this froth may then be taken off over-the weir 23. In order to provide a means whereby the pulp in the cell 20 may be prevented from forming whirlpool: r I have provided the. parallel bails members ll which are positioned slightly above the agitating A member 42. It'w'ill be apparent from the foregoing thst the quantity of air drawn into the cell 23 is proportionate to the speed of the agi- 7' tating member A! and as soon as the agitating member 42 stops rotating the fiuid in the cell 2| end thereof positioned closely adjacent the upper prevented from flowing downwardly through In order to provide a means whereby the pulp in the cells 20 may be continuously recirculated so as to thereby remove the desired product therefrom, recirculation member 63 is supported about the feed pipe 58. These recirculation members have their upper and lower ends open, and their upper ends are disposed below the normal pulp level. The material fiowingdownwardly through the member 83 discharges onto the spreader member 46.

The novel construction of the agitator blades and the combined air feeding means provides an air pump and agitating means for the material, the air pump being so designated as to prevent the material clogging the air inlet. This is accomplished through the placement of the spread-' er between the incoming material and the agitator.

What I claim is:

1. A flotation separator comprising a cell member, a vertically disposed hollow shaft iournalled in said cell, driving means for said shaft, one

' end of said shaft extending exteriorly of said cell and communicating with the atmosphere, air controlling means on the outer end of said shaft, a centrifugally opening valve carried by said shaft, an agitating member on the inner end of said shaft, and means dischargingmaterial in the direction of said agitatlng member.

2. A flotation' separator comprising a cell member, a' vertically disposed hollow shaft jour- V nalledin said cell, driving means for said shaft, one-end of said shaft extending exteriorly of said cell and communicating with the. atmosphere, air controlling means on the outer end of said shaft, an agitating member on the innet end of said shaft, means discharging material in the direction of said agitating member, means discharging a re-agen't into said shaft and cam trifugally opening valve means in said shaft.

3. A flotating separator comprising a cell member, a vertically disposed hollow shaft journalled in said cell, driving means for said shaft, one end ofsaid shaft extending exteriorly of said cell and communicating with the atmosphere, air controlling means on the outer end of said shaft,- a centrifugally, opening valve in said shaft, agitating blades fixed'to' said'shaft in said cell, said blades being formed with cutout portions to provide an air chamber concentrically thereof and inwardly of the inner end of the shaft.

4. A flotation separator comprising a cell member, a vertically disposed hollow shaft journailed in said cell, driving means for said shaft,

the outer open end of said shaft communicating with the atmosphere, air controlling means adjacent the outer end of said shaft, an agitating member on the inner end of said shaft, and

centrifugally opening valve means in said shaft inwardly of the outer end thereof.

FRANK A. DROMGOLD. 

